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Eugene Prewitt

Take Nothing or a Sword


Our Father in heaven, I ask that you would join us here this evening. That by your Spirit you would make your Word to be a living thing to us. That you'd help us to understand what it means and how it's important and what to do. We depend on you for that gift and we ask for it in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Turn with me in your Bibles to Luke. Luke chapter 9. Luke chapter 9. Luke chapter 9 and we're looking at verse 1. Then Jesus called his 12 disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases.

And He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick and listen and he said unto them take nothing for your journey Neither staves nor script neither bread neither money neither have 2 coats apiece Let's do a quiz Jesus when he sent them out, how did he send them? And what did they take with them, Laura? I'll give you a hint. Nothing. They didn't take anything.

They didn't take with them, I mean they wore something, but they didn't take with them very much. How many coats did they take? 1. I think that was their clothing. I don't think it was just like the winter thing.

They didn't take money. They didn't take something written down that they were going to say, or something to read from. Do you remember how it went for them when they did that? What did they end up lacking when they were out there? They didn't lack anything.

And how many did he send out this way? We're in chapter 9. How many did he send out? He sent out 12 in chapter 9 this way. Now go to chapter 10.

Some of you were getting ahead of us. Chapter 10, we're looking at verse 1. After these things the Lord appointed other 70 also. Who did he appointed in chapter 9? 12, and he sent them out without anything.

Chapter 10, verse 1. He appointed other 70 also and he sent them 2 and 2 before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few. Stop there for a minute. Where did Jesus send them?

To every city where he was going. Jesus is coming back soon to the world. Maybe I could say in simple words to every city. And where would he send them today? Maybe every city where he was going.

Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he would send forth laborers into his harvest. Look at verse 4. Carry neither purse nor script nor shoes, salute no man by the way. This is a simple thought. Think it for a minute.

There were 12 that went out with nothing and they came back and they were okay. And then there were 70 that went out with nothing. Who required more bravery in that endeavor, the 12 or the 70? The 12, right? Because they went out first.

They had no evidence except what they'd seen of Jesus to believe it would work out, but the 70 had people that they could see and know, hey, this works, and they went out without anything. Are we in our situation more like the 12 or more like the 70? Okay, we can read it, right? So we really are much more like the 70. When it comes to going out to doing God's work, do you think we might be overly concerned with the provisions of the way?

Maybe a little bit too concerned with that. Look at chapter 22. Luke chapter 22, and we are looking at verse 34, no verse 36, no verse 35. Luke 22 Verse 35, And he said unto them, that is to the 12, When I sent you without purse and script and shoes, Lacked ye anything? And they said, Nothing.

Jesus is about to die. There are so many things that He has said that He could refer them back to. So many things. But what was the 1 thing that He brought their attention to here? Their experience of going out with nothing and coming back just fine.

Verse 36, Then he said unto them, But now he that has a purse, let him take it, and likewise his strip. And he that has no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy 1. Why the change of tune in Jesus it's very clear from the verse before that he hasn't forgotten about how well it went for them when they had nothing, why did Jesus change his tune? Why did he say before, take nothing, and now he says, but now take everything, and not only equipment for the journey, but take a sword? I want to suggest to you a reason.

Look back at verse 31. And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not." Is it clear in verse 32 that faith can fail? And When you are converted, strengthen your brethren. And Peter said to him, Lord, I am ready to go with you both into prison and to death.

And Jesus said, I tell you, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day before you shall thrice deny that you know me. You'll have to check this yourself because there's not time for me to prove it, but I suggest to you that Jesus was communicating this thought that when you were working for me you had everything you needed. When you were in my service, I took care of you. When you were going on the journeys that I was sending you on, I was your provision. But tonight, you're going to deny me.

Tonight, you're going to leave my service and set out in your own way. And it's a dangerous world out there. Make sure you're well equipped. Make sure you have enough food and make sure you have enough money and make sure you have a sword. Take good care of yourself.

If we will put our lives into the service of Jesus, We don't have to take good care of ourselves. I don't mean how that might have sounded, but I mean God will take good care of us. If we're not life insurance, I could use that as an example, If you are have not put your life into God's service, I highly recommend you get life insurance. I Think Jesus says right here that you should do it. You should have high quality life insurance Don't you think you should?

Or you can have Jesus. Is that bad advice, Pastor? Alright. I'd like you to turn your Bibles. Actually, let's notice something else here before we go on.

Look back at verse 31 and 32. When Jesus predicted, this is a new thought altogether, when Jesus predicted that Simon was going to fall, did he predict anything else? That he'd be converted. It is a beautiful thing that when Jesus predicted that Peter would fall, he predicted that he would be converted. This is not the only place where you can see this thought.

It's in every 1 of the Gospels. I didn't write down chapter numbers, so you can turn to Matthew while I find 1. In the book of Matthew, look near the end somewhere. I would suggest probably chapter 26 would be about right. That's right.

Matthew 26, and look at verse 31. Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night. For it is written, I will smite the shepherd and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad." Did Jesus predict that they were going to fall? He did. Look at verse 32, but after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

Did Jesus predict that they would still follow him eventually? He predicted that with their fall they would come arising again. The Bible says that the righteous fall 7 times and rise again. If I could make a simple contrast, in the Bible the righteous and the wicked fall the same number of times. We fall completely.

We fall 7 times. We fall. The difference is how many times they get up. The wicked get up between 0 and 6 times. And the righteous get up 7 times.

If you fall 7 times, Tiffana help me with this, if you fall 7 times and get up 7 times will you end up down or up? Is that too complicated? Up! You're right! You end up up!

Jesus, when he spoke to people about their weaknesses, listen carefully, this is an evangelistic thought, he spoke to them as if they were going to do the right thing. As if they were going to be converted, as if they were going to be converted, as if they were going to be faithful. As a matter of fact, in 1 of these Gospels, he spoke to them, he said that you're going to sit on the 12 thrones judging Israel. There were 12 disciples, 1 of them was named, and Jesus said, how many thrones? He said 12.

Jesus spoke to people as if they were going to do the right thing. He talked to them as if they were going to make the right decision. Look in Mark, turn towards the end of it and I'll give you a chapter number in a moment. Mark, try chapter 14. Thank you.

Mark chapter 14 and we're looking at verse 27. And Jesus said unto them All ye shall be offended because of me this night, for it is written, I will smite the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered, but after that I am risen I will go before you into Galilee. If this looks familiar, it's because we just read it in Matthew. It's the same thought. 1 thing I want you to catch is not everything in the Bible is mentioned twice.

Some things are mentioned more times than others. This 1 is mentioned in every single gospel. That's because it's very important that when you speak to people you speak to them as if they're going to do right. In our human nature, you remember this as a child, you remember a time when you were trying to do the right thing and someone suspected you of having done the wrong thing and how badly that hurt. That's a real troubling experience.

And maybe you can remember in middle school or secondary school When someone had confidence in you that you could make it and that you could do it or that you were going to come through How you want to rise to that level of expectancy? Jesus used that in evangelism He didn't go to these men beside the sea and said listen I want you to evaluate this and if you decide it's a good idea I think you ought to follow me What do you say to them? Follow me as if they were going to Do it It's an important principle. Let's look at the most amazing of these. Look at John.

John chapter 13. Thank you. Except for, I would like to go all the way back to verse 36. Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, where are you going? Jesus answered him, Where I go, you cannot follow me Now, listen carefully, but you shall follow me afterwards.

Do you hear Jesus speaking to Peter? He said, Peter, you're going to make it. Verse 37, Peter said unto him, Lord, why can I not follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake. Jesus answered him, Will you lay down your life for my sake?

Verily, verily, I say unto you, the cock shall not crow till thou hast denied me thrice. Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you.

And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know." It's 1 conversation. If you doubt it, look at Thomas' response. Thomas said unto him, Lord, We know not where you are going. How can we know the way?

It's the same discussion in verse 36 the very same thing, it's the way through, what Jesus said to Peter is Peter you are going to deny me don't let your heart be troubled. You believe, you're going to fall but you're going to make it. You're going to rise again, you're going to repent, you're going to turn away from Ron, you're going to turn away from Sam. Jesus related to people as if they were going to make the right decision and everything in their being rose to meet his expectation. Males that were around him felt for the first time in years that they were men.

They felt there was a purpose and something noble in them that they could rise to, to be. It's a beautiful thought. Let me share these thoughts again and then I'm going to risk something. What I'm going to risk is I'm going to ask those of you who are canvassing today if you have any experiences to share out loud that you can tell these dear people because you weren't here for our testimony time. You can prepare yourself.

They just got back. The thoughts. The first thought was from Luke 9, 10, and 22, and it was this. When we work for Jesus, He takes care of us. We will not suffer anything.

He will guard our back. He wants us to focus on the mission and if we have too much other stuff to worry about, it will detract from what we have to do. So he says, don't get so involved in the things of the world. I'll take care. You just focus on what you have to do.

And when people did that, it worked out for them just swell. But when there came a time when they were going to leave his service, and he saw it coming, he did 2 things. He said, first of all, in the interim time, take good care of yourself. But I know you're going to make it. Peter, when you're converted, strengthen the brethren." Isn't that a beautiful thing to say to Peter?

When you are converted, strengthen the brethren. He related to him that way. In the interim time, you know Peter misunderstood, right? So he had the sword and when they came to get Jesus, he tried to use the sword. What did Jesus say?

Put it away. I am still my father's service and if I needed protection he would presently send angels. Peter, while you're working for God, you don't need the sword. The implication is, when would you need the sword? When you're not working for God.

That's when you're going to need to take care of yourself. That was the first thought. The second 1 was this. Relate to people as if they're going to do the right thing. If you have to warn someone, warn him in a way that your warning speaks hope.

That he can see that you believe it's going to turn out okay. In the end he's going to do something better that he's going to get past this thing Give him a way out in your speech. It'll make a difference in the way he accepts it Talk to them as if you know that they're going to be converted It makes all the difference if Jesus had not talked to Peter this way The evidence is you know what Peter's personality was it was up and down And when people that tend to go up and down get down, the darkest, that often ends in suicide. Jesus spoke to Peter in a way that would keep him from the very lowest point, when he got to the very lowest point. And it did.

Jesus looked at Peter, Peter saw Jesus, instead of being broken in the wrong way, he was broken in the right way. Did you know there's 2 ways to be broken? I'm not going to show you this, but you can go look at in your Bibles. It's in 1st Corinthians chapter I'll get you a chapter number because you might actually look it up, and I'll tell you the wrong 1 What you'll find there when you look at it is that there are 2 types of sorrow. I think it's chapter 7.

It is 7? But I don't see it. Maybe 10? Maybe 2 Corinthians? Chapter 7.

2 Corinthians 7 feels right. It's 2 Corinthians 7, there you go. Verses like 8 through 11. The thought you'll find there when you read it is that there's 2 types of sorrow. There's the 1 that leads to death and the 1 that leads to repentance.

And what's the difference between them? A big part of it is hope. Godly sorrow comes with hope that you're going to make it. The sorrow of the world is hopeless and it ends in death. When you're going to wound someone, do it in a way that speaks hope and it will make a difference for them.

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Take Nothing or a Sword

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